THOOTHUKUDI: DMK's decades-long wait to be at the helm of affairs in many urban local bodies in the district has finally ended, thanks to the thumping victory the party scripted throughout the State.
In Kovilpatti municipality, the last DMK politician to be elected as its chairman was Tamilarasan in 1996. The AIADMK's Vimala Rani took charge as the chairman in 2001 followed by Mallika of CPM, an ally of DMK, in 2006 and Jansi Rani Sankarapandian of AIADMK in 2011.
The 2022 elections to urban local bodies have seen the DMK alliance clinch 27 seats in the 36-member municipal council. The DMK as a party has achieved a majority on its own with 19 members, paving the way to elect its own chairman, after 26 years.
Kayalpattinam municipality, a Muslim majority urban body, saw a majority of 14 independent candidates being elected. The political parties did not field their candidates allegedly due to the pressure exerted by local public organisations that focussed on electing candidates outside of political lines. However, the DMK fielded five candidates and four of them won. Sources said among those candidates fielded by Ikkiya Jammat Peravai, a few had party affiliations including Muthu Mohamed, the DMK town organiser and Anwar, organiser of AIADMK's Amma Peravai.
Since the inception of Kayalpattinam municipality in 2004, the DMK party has never captured the chairman post. Independents and AIADMK candidates had grabbed the chairman posts in the past. "This time, DMK Town Organiser Muthu Mohamed, a close associate of Fisheries and fishermen Welfare Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan is most likely chairman of the municipality," said a reliable source.
Tiruchendur municipality, which came into existence in 2022, has 27 wards. The DMK alliance had garnered 22 wards including one of Congress. The DMK is all set to elect its first chairperson for Tiruchendur municipality, which is reserved for women.
In the 60-member Thoothukudi corporation council, DMK has registered a massive victory, with its candidates winning in 44 ward councillor seats. Now the DMK and its allies have a combined strength of 49 in the council. "The DMK has a single majority to elect its own mayor candidate, and it will be ward 20 member NP Jegan, son of former DMK strong man N Periyasamy," say political observers.